Really impressed with this library! It's a huge space with two floors and tons of tables so there's…read moreplenty of room to study/work or read. The second floor was especially quiet and separately they had a quiet room. They have a really extensive book selection, and there are also rooms you can rent if you need a private space. Everything was very clean and well-maintained, including the bathrooms. They have a parking lot with free parking for up to 3 hours and paid EV charging stations, and the library is right next to pickleball/tennis courts, which is a nice bonus. I didn't really interact with the staff much during my visit, but they seemed friendly from what I could tell. Overall, a really nice library and definitely a good spot for studying, working, or spending a few quiet hours.

Book selection - Very small graphic novel collection, only two rows and missing key series like…read moreOutcast. Decent fiction collection but very limited nonfiction. Amenities - None of the outlets for the desks work, and the molding on them prevents most stuff being plugged in anyway. I had to crawl under the table and remove the desk plus and use the floor plugs directly. Setting - Terrible, the staff do nothing to enforce a good library setting conducive to reading and studying. It's always incredibly loud, lots of screaming kids, and just obnoxious people talking full volume, laughing out loud, or big meeting groups humming around. They let homeless people sleep and malinger around all over the place and it STINKS. Cleanliness - Disgusting, the floors and surfaces are always very dirty and the bathrooms are third world. Shit smeared everywhere, USED TP all over the place, broken soap dispensers off the walls never replaced, never any paper towels, etc. I also witnessed a homeless guy doing drugs off the sink. Comfort - Need more comfy seating. Only a few soft seats and none with feet support or reclining. Most of the chairs are very hard and the desks/tables are set too low. Staff - Seems overall to be friendly but very aloof.

I love Westover Library! It is the absolute best. The Hold book feature is so helpful, and all…read morethe activities/programs truly support the community.

This is a great library right in the heart of Westover. Very clean and very bustling, even on…read moreweekday afternoons, especially in the summer. Super family friendly without being very noisy. (I often see elementary and middle school aged kids here, whereas the Ballston branch skews slightly younger.) It's close to a ton of nice restaurants and shops, as well as a post office. The neighborhood is extremely walkable, so it's a great place to spend an afternoon. I'm a big fan of the Arlington public library system and its holdings. It's always a good day to stop by and support your local library!

The smallest branch in the Arlington system, but it's still good. If Central Library's like a…read moregiant tour bus filled with nerdy gloriousness, then Glencarlyn's more of a clown car. Tiny but packed with some great finds. If you have children/teens or just have a nostalgic fondness for hardcover Nancy Drews and Hardy Boys, Encyclopedia Brown's solve it yourself mysteries, every single Princess Diaries ever penned, or Dr. Seuss's, this branch is definitely worth a browse. The adult fiction section is limited, but they have an excellent and well stocked children's books section and a not too shabby YA section, too. There's even some carpeted steps by the windows for sitting and reading with your kids, siblings, and baby sittees. An added bonus is that the back garden is maintained by the Master Gardeners of northern VA. At this time of year it's a lovely place to walk around and admire the various plants and flowers or to sit on a bench with a good book.

This is my favorite branch of the Arlington County Library. It's so quaint. It just sits on its…read morelittle side street in the sleepy neighborhood of Glencarlyn, surprising unsuspecting new patrons who enter it to find a book they ordered, expecting a branch library in one of the richest counties in the country and not a one room schoolhouse with books (a good thing...five stars!). Even the walk from my house is fun, along the trails in Glencarlyn Park and the Long Branch Nature Center. The selection is small, because the branch is small, but the last time I went in I left with two books just from browsing. That's the sign of a good library.

This is one of the most beautiful DC Public Libraries, right across from Dumbarton Oaks. The…read morebuilding is beautiful inside out, and the staff were welcoming and very friendly. The children's corner has tiger and lion plushes on top of the bookshelves!

I attended an outstanding Washing D.C. African American genaeology event. I was excited to check…read moreout a book by a local author that has been on my list. Not only did they have it but I was allowed to take it as part of their regular programming of giving away books from local authors I believe.

A lovely little local library branch! Conveniently located in Virginia Highlands Park, there is a…read morefree parking lot right outside. Also, this library is right by a fenced in playground and a sprayground that is super fun in the summer. A one stop shop! There is a kids section here with some toys for the kids to play and plenty of books. Also, they have crayons and paper available and several kid size tables and even a tiny couch- very cute. There is one designated kids computer as well with headphones! Ms. Karen does the children's programming and hosts a great story time on Thursday mornings from 10:30-11. If you have a little one you should check it out! Stories and songs for kids. Best for the preschool and under crowd. The librarians here are all kind and very helpful. Stop by the front desk for a stamp on your kid's hand! Don't forget about summer reading too. There is a bathroom located in the lobby as well as a vending machine. Highly recommend you check out the Aurora Hills Library if you are in town!

This library closed in March 2020 and never reopened. As of January 2021, there's still been no…read morepublic discussion of reopening it in the future, and the county library system hasn't responded to any of the people in the the local community about when or whether it might reopen someday. The only emails we've received from the county library director have been about her favorite Christmas songs and her pet political causes, so she doesn't seem to know or care that people in the community want access to books. The hours for this closed location should be removed because anyone showing up and expecting to use a library will be disappointed. It's just an abandoned building where the county keeps a large container to drop off glass for recycling. (Arlington discontinued curbside recycling pickup of glass in April 2019, so the abandoned library is being used as one of the dropoff sites. Recyclable glass of any color can be dropped off 24/7 in the dumpster-sized bin.)

Cute little library, great for kids! I think this is one of the smallest libraries I have ever been…read moretoo, but my kids had a great time during their STEAM class. They have a variety of toys to play with for different ages and interests. The children area is nicely decorated and welcoming. They had a nice selection of kid books but my kids were definitely more interested in the variety of toys. Lots of board games, toys and even American girl dolls to check out. Street parking or parking garage nearby.

More of a sleeping and homeless encampment than library. Would suggest anything other closer…read morelocation if you are trying to get work done

Great library and friendly librarians. I like going to check my books out with the librarians but…read morethey do have a self-service checkout. If you're looking for a book that they don't have at their branch you can request it from a different branch and within a few days you can pick it up. Putting a book on hold is super easy and hasslefree. When your book is ready you'll receive an email pick it up at the branch you requested to pick it up. At the Columbia Pike branch the books on hold are located against the wall adjacent to the entrance to the library. They'll have a slip of paper with your name printed on it. The books are lined up alphabetically so it's easy to find. I'm here a lot because of grad school work. There are plenty of tables where you can work but on the first floor some tables are restricted for young children and their caretakers. Those tables have signs on them. Best of all I'm glad I can take my lap top and use their free wifi. I don't have to wait to use the computer because I have my own. Going to the library helps me carve out a time to study in an atmosphere conducive to studying. Oh and if you have children in the fifth grade and younger sign them up for the summer reading program!

There's nothing really that stands out about this location, and, honestly, I'd never have visited…read moresave for the event Noon Year's Eve was at this location. My son is 13 months and is not staying up until midnight (at least I hope not) so I was looking for some kind of "celebration " earlier in the day. It was a cute event for the kiddos and free. The library opened early for the event and you could stay after too. The children's section was tiny. There were some cute toys, puzzles, and a puppet station but everything seemed really old. Books included. I didn't get a chance to check out the adults section but I have a library within walking distance and since you can request books to be delivered to the branch of your choosing, I don't anticipate returning here anytime soon.

I went to the library to use the sewing room at the main branch. I thought my name would still be…read morein the system. I moved to VA from the West Coast; I was at the library for a Toast Masters meeting event. I received a library card at that time. I could not remember how to thread a machine it's been years they gave me the step-by-step information they saw me struggling, because they could not find my card one girl behaved as though I had committed a crime for not having a library card the other was helpful they stood around talking doing nothing while they watched me struggle. I don't know if it's the generation, racism or my high expectation for human kindness. I left without sewing a seam a small tear in my kimono. I came home sewed it by hand and purchased a machine on Amazon so I can teach myself once again. That experienced made me realized I have little patience for superior attitudes and a reminder in my daily activities to be kinder whenever possible it cost us nothing you don't need a card or help just the willingness to be a kind human being.

The location is great. The children, during children's hour, are beyond loud. Guess I'll choose a…read moredifferent time to come to the library and do some work. Spacious, lots of computers and work space. I appreciated it. But, don't sit by the large meeting room. Libraries just aren't quiet anymore. Lmao

The Library of Congress was definitely worth the stop! Admission is free, but you do need a…read moretimed-entry ticket, like most places in DC. We arrived about 20 minutes before opening, which I would highly recommend, because the security line got long fast. We were able to go inside before many got in and had beautiful views without crowding. The inside is absolutely beautiful. Several displays explain the paintings and architecture which was really interesting to read about. We were also able to see the original rough draft of the Declaration of Independence. It will only be on display for three months so this was really neat we were here for that. Definitely take your time and look around instead of just walking through. There is so much detail everywhere you look.

The Library of Congress is a very cool place. This was my second time visiting here and my…read moreyoungest's first. I reserved free timed entry tickets on their website and there was a decent line waiting to get in. Security is heavy here. Very thorough like an airport. The architecture is breathtaking. The staff is also very helpful. My daughter and I looked around a bit and checked out some of the exhibits. We got a timed entry sticker for the main reading room, however we were informed we couldn't go in the room with our backpacks. We could have opted for the unsecured bag check or go back down to security to rent a locker. So we skipped it. My daughter was excited to check out The Source which is their new young readers room. There were advertisements and directional stickers for it everywhere. When we got there, it was closed and the security guard said it didn't open until 1pm. Then they opened it at 11am and said we could come in. My daughter was a little disappointed because while marketed for 8-15 year olds, it appeared to be for much younger visitors. I went through the process of getting myself a LOC reader identification card so I could book a reading room and work there for a couple hours. I filled out the online form, went to get my picture taken, got my card, had the information desk tell me where to go, only for security to tell me I couldn't get a reading room while I had a backpack either. I guess I'm just supposed to carry my laptop out in the open? Anyway, my daughter and I decided to bail and head to Starbucks so I could get some work done. It wasn't worth the hoops to jump through. Upon trying to exit, the same security guard asked to search my backpack prior to leaving. I'm not sure if they do that to everyone, but it all seemed a little extreme to me for a library. Overall, don't skip this place for the exhibits and experience, but don't plan on bringing any bags with you or working here.

The brutalist architecture of the library reflects the…read moresocial upheaval at the time of it's opening. That was April 6, 1970, two years after MLK and JFK were assassinated. The Vietnam War was in full bloom. The library was named after Hoya alumnus and Chime member killed in that war. Many students on campus had the military draft hanging over their heads. Modern crises meets Flemish Romanesque Healy Hall. By the way, the stairwell mural is genius (see photos). Fast forward fifty years later, future leaders face similar historic challenges. Bill Clinton, Bradley Cooper and Paul Manafort alumni stories are legendary. Danger is an opportunity to be courageous. Answers can be found in the most unusual places. Hoya Saxa.

This is a good place to study as well, but the midnight mug level can be very loud during exam…read moreweek. I prefer studying here on the main campus as opposed to the DML.